The Final Countdown To...

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Primary Source Analysis 1112-01: John Winthrop

Examine the letter written by John Winthrop to his wife.  Then, comment on it, revealing your thoughts on it.

  • Which themes in the letter relate back to the themes and ideas within the Chapter 3 reading?  
  • List 2 things within the letter you thought were important ideas relating back to Unit 2?  
  • What does the document reveal about life in the United States in the time it was written?  What evidence within the document demonstrates this?

25 comments:

Willy said...

The religious theme that Winthrop used in the letter he wrote to his wife is related to themes and ideas in chapter 3. Winthrop is conveying many religious ideas in his letter such as "I praise the good lord..." In chapter three, Winthrop and other English men and women are fleeing to the Americas in search of religious freedom.

Some important ideas I saw in the letter that relate back to unit 2 are the fact that on their journey they are experiencing sicknesses and other issues, and that Winthrop says that here we can enjoy God and Jesus Christ for they went to the Americas in search of religious freedom.

The document reveals that life in the U.S. in the time that it was written was full of hardships such as sicknesses but it was more peaceful and religiously tolerant. In the document Winthrop says "We here enjoy God and Jesus."

Brian said...

The themes thhat relate back to the ideas of Chapter 3 reading is the fact that many Puritans left England for two main reasons. There was a depression so great that even the wealthy landowners were affected by it and the King was a supporter of the Roman Catholic Church and was not kind to the people of the Protestant faith.

2 Things that i thought were important in this letter were: Winthrop was a Puritan and was on of the thousand who sailed away from England when King Charles I was king. Also, it seems a French ship gave them provisions to help them, which is strange beacuse i don't remember reading about such events.

The document reveals that life was very difficult in the United States at this time. Colonies were barely set up at this point, and Winthrop mentions that he is lucky to be alive seeing that God has already taken many settlers.

Marissa Esposito said...

-The themes in the letter that relate back to the themes nd ideas within the chapter 3 reading include: what a real Puritan is and why they are different from a person who follows Christianity. Winthrop shows us what a true Puritan is by saying in the letter,"in, His due time, will do us good". This shows how Puritans always look at the positive side and always believe God will help them and guide them through their troubles. He shows us that a Puritan is different from a person who follows Christianity becuase they have a stronger belief and
wanted to reform the church to make it better.
-Some important ideas I found in the letter that relate to Unit 2 include: how John Winthrop, even with all the troubles and hardships, never quit or regreted coming to America and how John Winthrop realized he was grateful for him and his family to still be alive, but he still wanted to help the other Puritans.
- This document reveals about life in the United States in the time it was written, that it was hard to stay alive becuase their was a depression and many diseases spreading around. It shows that back then they would look to God as the answer to everything. In the letter it says," comes merely of the Lord's good hand". It shows how the Puritans believe that God would help them and do what was meant to happen.

matt hollo said...

The themes that relate back to Chapter 3 are once again religious. Winthrop fleed to America in search of religious freedom.

Some important ideas I saw in the letter that relate back to unit 2 are that Winthrop never regreted coming to America and that he still wanted to help the puritans.

This document reveals that the U.S. at this time was so difficult. colonies were barely set up and Winthrop states that he was thankful to be alive. There was also no tolerance for different religions at that time.

Rob Lazzaro said...

The idea that the English were coming to the New World for religious freedom is a major theme that directly relates to the chapter 3 reading. The Church of England was under close criticisms at this time in history and England was not a religiously tolerant place at all. King Charles ll was a strict believer in Catholicism and he didn’t feel people should practice other religions.

One thing in the letter that relates to unit two is that people were willing to suffer for their religion. People were taking the risky chance of coming to the New World by ship when many people were dying. Also, even though people were dying and suffering they still believed in God and they believed that he would help them and get them through the tough times.

This letter shows that people coming from England might not have known too much about the New World but they did know that it couldn’t be any worse than England. All they wanted was religious freedom and to get away from the harsh government that was imposed upon them in England. Life in the New World was somewhat more stable as far as religion goes however; the colonies were still young and needed to be further modified.

Abby Lynch said...

The theme John Winthrop wrote in the letter was him saying goodbye to his wife and children for a while, while he travels to the Americas in search for religious freedom.

Important ideas I noticed in the letter that relate back to Unit 2 is that the journey is tough and not everyone makes it to America alive. There is illness and death. He talks about how people the wife was close with that passed away and were ill on the journey. John Winthrop also talks about how this brutal journey and time they are spending apart will be worth it because they are in search for religious freedom and confident they will find it in the United States.

This letter tells about the United States at this time because families had to spend alot of time away from eachother so once they got to the Americas they tried to stay as tight - knit as possible. It also shows that the men of the families were willing to do whatever it took so they could be free to believe what they pleased even if it meant dieing on the way to America or spending months away from loved ones.

Jake Walkinshaw said...

The theme that Winthrop conveys to his wife that relates to chapter 3 is that Puritans who came to this country were very greatful for what they had and they thanked god for all of this. They are very religious and this is apparent when he states in the letter "We here enjoy God and Jesus Christ. Is not this enough" This also shows the theme that the puritans came to the US because of religious freedom that they did not have before. Also in this statement it shows that they do not have much but have more than they had in England with the depression they were experiencing.

Some important ideas that I found were that he was so greatful just to have religious freedom that he did not care about any other hardships that he was experiencing. Also that the US at this time was going through great hardships, just as in England.

This letter reveals that puritans came to this country despite the hardships they knew they would face because they yearned for the religious freedom they could not recieve in England. This is proven when winthrop states "I praise God, we have many occasions of comfort here, and do hope that our days of affliction will soon have an end.

Something that I find interesting is that Winthrops wife did not come along with him. This is strange because he talks about his children with him.

Owaiss L. said...

I think that the theme Winthrop set is that the puritans are positive people. Even though a lot of them fled to america because King Charles II was harsh on them, they still stayed positive. Usually, when a scenario like this happens to a person, that person stays depressed or angry for a couple of days if not week or months or even years. Yet, instead of being miserable about leaving their homes and home soil, they became positive about having religious freedom. That is what i think the theme Winthrop gave us is.

2 things that relate to chapter 2 is how a lot of people were dying of diseases as well as hunger. another thing is how religion is still a big thing. most of these Puritans fled to america because of the harsh treatment from the Catholic king, Charles II but mainly to practice the freedom of religion. those are the 2 ways i found this letter being able to connect to chapter 2 in the book.

this document greatly states the death rate of the Europeans living in america at this time. this is proved when Winthrop says, "The lady of Arbella is dead, and good Mr.Higginson, my servant, old Waters of Neyland, and many others." this shows how fast these people are dying and that is what i think this document is trying to tell us about life in America.

Damian Litwa said...

The theme in this primary source is religion showing the strongly religious puritan, John Winthrop always thanking the lord to be alive and that someday the lord will help him and his fellow settlers in America. The religious freedom provides the settlers with the thought that god will always help them in every situation.

Two important things in this primary source is that the puritans during some of their darkest hours always thought that god will save them. Also, the french ship aiding the puritans is an important fact because it shows that the french are an ally with the puritans.

This document reveals that there were some hard times in America but they always turned to god to save them because Winthrop say, "I praise the lord, though we see much morality, sickness, and trouble." This shows that in America the people were in search for religious freedom.

Nicole E said...

The letter written by Winthrop to his wife conveys how religious he is by constantly thanking the Lord for his family's health, etc. This links back to a main theme in the textbook about the Puritans on the hunt for freedom of religion, which is found in chapter 3. That shows that Winthrop was a very religious man/ Puritan.

Some important ideas that were found in the letter that refer back to the unit are Winthrop believing that God will ultimately help out the Puritans in the end because all they need is God to guide them, showing the religious aspect and that Winthrop wouldn't change anything he had done since he sailed to the New World for religious freedom.

In the letter, Winthrop describes the United States as a place where he sees "morality, sickness, and trouble", showing how life is tough in the U.S., but spiritually, the people/Puritans are at peace with God and hope that God lends them a hand while in search for their religious freedom.

Zack Sirowich said...

The themes in the letter that relate back to the themes and ideas within the Chapter 3 reading are religious freedom and the thanking of god. It says "I praise the good lord, though we see such mortality,sickness, and trouble..." This displays the puritans thanking their god for religious freedom, which is what is displayed in Chapter 3 as well as the letter written by John Winthrop.

Two things in the letter that I thought were important to Unit 2 was the positive attitude of the puritans and John Winthrop coming to America, and the religious leadership shown by Winthrop during tough times, in the movement for religious freedom.

The document reveals that life in the United States was a time of hardship. Many people were catching diseases, and didn't know how to cope with the land like they did back in England.It says,"...and her goats, but six living of eighteen." This displays the hardships they were in, in the United States, because the Puritans lost many animals.

Nick Kuzia said...

Winthrop discusses the impact religious ideas have on relationships, as also discussed in chapter 3 of The American Pageant. He uses God as an example of a problem solver to explain to his wife that they simply can not be. In this letter and in chapter 3, religions are the cause of many events. an example of this: europeans settling in America to search for religious freedom.

2 important ideas that relate back to Unit 2 are that John Winthrop didnt give up on his fellow Puritans and that he was determined and convinced that moving to America to help them was the right thing to do.

The Document explains that during that time period, America was going through troubled times and difficulties. I can tell this when the letter states "He is our God, and may dispose of us as He sees good.

haleyhicks said...

-the main theme that i think Winthrop showed in his letter to his wife was religious views.you can see this in many things he says referencing god, or the good lord.

-one important idea that i think related back to unit two was how john Winthrop was always willing to help mainly with the puritans. and even after coming to america he never regretted it he made the best of the situation.

-this shows a lot of different things about people back then and their morals. back then times were very hard and tough but the men in the families were willing to do whatever they had to do for their families which was the most important things to them.one of the reasons why things were so tough back then was because religion was still very strict with people.

Rebecca M said...

The themes in the letter that relate to the themes back in chapter three are religon and god. The themes in both the letter and chapter thre are all about the people's religon and beliefs.

Two ideas within the letter that relate back to unit 2 are "the blessing of god all-sufficient be upon thee and all my dear ones with thee forever" and "the lord will do us more good in the end than we could have expected." these are both important ideas because they have to do with the main topic of the letter and unit 2.

The document reveals that it may have been a tough time and god is helping them through their problems and they are appreciative that they can pray to him.

The evidence in the document that demonstrates this is, "i am sorry to part with thee so soon" and also "god, we have many occasions to comfort here."

Makayla O'Hara said...

The theme in the letter that relates back to the themes and ideas within the chapter 3 reading are religious views. John Winthrop always thanked God for everything and praised him. Winthrop also believed that the Lord could help him through the tough times in the new world. In chapter 3, it said that Winthrop believed that "he had a calling from God to lead the new religious experiment"(45). Both references talk about religion.
2 things in the letter that i thought were important ideas relating back to unit 2 were how much morality and sickness there was at this time because verybody is trying to accustomed to this new world and how Winthrop didn't regret being in the new world. This started out as a new beginning for many people that was for the better.
The document reveals about life in the United States in the time it was written was that it was full of tough times. The document says "...we see much morality, sickness, and trouble..." However, Winthrop enjoyed being there. He said,"I like so well to be here".

TheRobBrito said...

Themes and ideas that relate back to Chapter 3 is the religious theme. John Winthrop constantly mentions and thanks God in his letter.

Two things i found important in the reading that relate back to unit 2, is the strong puritan dedication to God and their belief. Another thing how people died from sickness and people still looked up to God for the help.

This Document reveals that life was really hard. People were dying of disease and sickness. They kept going through the hardships by looking to God for all the answers. Religion was their help and answer.

Katie P said...

Winthrop was a part of the expedition of 1630, which began the Mass. Bay Colony on a large scale in the New World--this relates to the theme of the vast amount of English migration that occurred during the 1630s that is discussed in Chapter 3. Another theme is the importance of God to the colonists, especially the Puritan Winthrop, who states, "The blessing of God all-sufficient be upon thee and all my dear ones with thee forever" in his letter to his wife. Much of what Winthrop addresses in his letter is similar to Pageant's perspective on the Mass. Bay Colony, that it was "singularly blessed".

Two important ideas I found in the letter that relate back to Unit 2 is the idea of immigrant migration to the New World in order to reach a religious refuge, and the colonist's ability to overcome hardships.

The document reveals that life in the U.S. in the 1630s was hard, but the colonists, driven by faith, believed all of the trouble they experienced was well worth it. This is demonstrated when Winthrop states, "I praise the good Lord, though we see much morality, sickness, and trouble...". Winthrop also suggests that a land in which God can be celebrated freely is the best land of all when in his letter he writes, "We here enjoy God and Jesus Christ...I never fared better in my life".

Giggles said...

The themes in this letter that relate to the themes in Chapter 3 are: the hardships of building your own colony and starting from scratch and the never-ending faith they have in God.

Two details that I thought were important that relate back to Unit 2 are: Winthrop’s hopefulness that the colony will turn out okay and be another place that people could feel safe to live their lives out in it. Also, how he clings to his belief in God to get him through the hardships he and everyone with him is going through.

What I think this document reveals about peoples life in the U.S. are that they had to work hard for everything they had and they never gave up faith in their God. Which is prevalent throught all three letters. Especially in Winthrop’s letter he uses God to comfort himself as well as assure his wife and children that all is well and will stay that way. Instead of looking at everything bad that has happened and give up he, tries to take something positive out of every hardship and channel that into his hopefulness for a better future for everyone.

Claudia Majkner said...

The themes and ideas in this letter that relate back to chapter three include how Winthrop traveled to the New World in search of religious freedom and as a way to escape economic depression in England.

A couple important ideas in this letter relating back to Unit Two include how Winthrop was thankful for going to the New World and being healthy despite sickness throughout the land. Also, Winthrop wanted to help other Puritans.

This letter states that at the time, the United States was a tough place to live in, since it was spread with disease and barely had established a way of life. However, Winthrop states that he thanked God all the time for being healthy, and I believe that religion helped keep the colonies alive.

caittrzaski said...

The theme that relates back to the text in the Chapter 3 reading are spiritual intensity. "...He may have us rely wholly upon Himself," Winthrop, in the letter to his wife, spoke a majority about God. In chapter 3, he said he had a "calling" from God to lead Massachusetts Bay.

2important ideas that relate back to Unit 2 is how even through experiencing sickness and disease, Winthrop still believed God will help him through it all and how John Winthrop focused on helping the Puritans.

This letter to his wife reveals that life in the colonies at that time was very religiously bound from all the hardships they were going through from diseases and deaths. "...do hope, that our days of affliction will soon have an end, and that the Lord will do us more good in the end than we could have expected..."

KC Backus said...

Some things that relate from the letters back to the chapter 3 reading where the religion. In the letter it says how people left Europe seeking religious freedom sailed to America. In the letter Winthrop says how although they have had some loss he still has faith in the lord and is happy the lord blessed them.

2 things from the letter that I thought where important where both Winthrop's faith and how important things such as ships coming to port seem.

The document shows how much people of this time relied on God for their survival and although bad things may have happened they still had lots of faith.

kamila z said...

The theme that relates back to the text in chapter three was how devoted they were to their religion.As Winthrop writes to his wife he is thanking God for everything.

Two things I found important in the reading that relate back to unit 2 is how Winthrop believed that God would help the Puritans through anything.And that he would not change anything that he did and that it would be all worth it because they were searching for religious freedom.

The document reveals that life in the U.S. during this time was difficult.There were so many sicknesses and deaths, and the colonies were just starting off.Winthrop says in his letter that he is lucky to be alive and that God will help them.

Lee M said...

The themes within the letter that relate back to the reading in Chapter 3 are the seek for religious freedom as mentioned in Chapter 3. Throughout his letter, almost everything is religious and relates to God as like in the reading where it is based heavily on religion.

One important idea in the letter that relates back to unit 2 is how much faith Winthrop had in God even though a good amount of people he knew were terribly sick and dying. Another important idea is how much hardships they had to endure just to seek religious freedom in the New World.

This letter reveals that at this time, the United States was a very harsh place to be living and religion was the most important thing to these people who are leaving their lives in England to seek freedom in the New World. Evidence from the document that expresses this is,"I praise the good lord, though we see much mortality, sickness and trouble..."

Claudia Valenti said...

•Which themes in the letter relate back to the themes and ideas within the Chapter 3 reading?

The enormous emphasis placed on God and religion is a theme in both chapter three and in John Winthrop's letter. The idea that God causes both good and bad is prevalent in Winthrop's writing and shows more clearly how dedicated the Puritans had been to their religion; it also suggests the idea that all of the events John Winthrop describes were predestined, a major idea of Calvinism, an idea chapter 3 discusses extensively.


•List 2 things within the letter you thought were important ideas relating back to Unit 2?

+ There was death and sickness involved with the journey to the colony and in the formation of the colony itself. Regardless, the Puritans continued, convinced that out of the hardships would come success. John Winthrop discusses his contentness after hard work and how he wouldn't have done anything differently.

+ The Puritan dedication to God is unwavering, despite - or because of - the struggles they faced. The idea of Puritanism, the hope instilled in the settlers by the idea of predestination, and the general strength of religion in the colonies is clear in John Winthrop's letter to his wife and in Unit 2.



•What does the document reveal about life in the United States in the time it was written? What evidence within the document demonstrates this?

It reveals the whole-hearted dedication to God and to upholding the Puritan beliefs in the colonies. Regardless of the struggles they faced, of the death and sickness, the settlers worked on in the hope of something better: this hope was not just blind optimism, but a fundamental doctrine in the Puritan beliefs, and they held to it. In a letter to his wife that could have said just about anything, John Winthrop chose to talk about God, the bad things that He places upon them to "humble" them and the good things that He blesses them with. Life in the United States was extremely difficult and yet somehow rewarding to the settlers of the colony because of their dedication to religion.

Kevin Saksa said...

1.the main theme that Winthrop showed in his letter to his wife was his want for religious freedom and you can see this in the letter.This also shows the theme that the puritans came to the US because of religious freedom that they did not have before

2. Two things that i found important in the letter was that the puritans always believed that god would save them. Also how the the colonist's were able to endure the worst hardships.

3.The document reveals that life in the United States was a time of hardships, many people were dieing from diseases, and didn't know how to deal with the problems like they did back in England.